*Unveils Proposed Bill On free Medicare For Children And Pregnant Mothers At Debate*
United Progressive Party Candidate for Ikeduru Constituency, Imo State House of Assembly Hon. Chidi Emeagi has insisted that lawmaking is such a technical area not meant for learners and all comers.
According to him, only highly experienced, researchful and critical minds make good and wonderful lawmakers.
Emeagi who stated this at a debate organized for Assembly candidates on Sunday by a socio-political group IKE-IKEDURU where he outshined other contestants said he remained the most experienced to represent his Constituency.
Emeagi who is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Corporate Administration opined that he garnered much legislative experience between 2007and 2010, a period he was Chairman Imo State House of Assembly Press Corps and had to join the then lawmakers to various legislative capacity workshops and training.
The UPP candidate said he had already prepared three bills with which he could hit the ground running once elected into the House among which is a bill for a law to provide free comprehensive medicare for children and pregnant mothers.
He revealed that Nigeria is ranking 3rd in the global index of infant and maternal mortality rate noting that the bill when passed into law would wipe away the tears of most Imolites as the number of mothers who die as a result of sepsis and other complex infections during and after child delivery in the hands of quacks due to poverty would have been reduced because mothers will now have access to quality medicare including infants. Chidi Emeagi however chided politicians for making it a campaign strategy by going to hospitals to pay bills for mothers who put to bed but could not pay hospital charges adding that such nonsense would have stopped long ago if lawmakers had come up with good laws on health just like the one he had just generated.
The assembly hopeful who stunned guests at the debate held at the residence of Dr Osmond Ukanacho when he brought out of his pocket a clean copy of his proposed bill said Ikeduru will have a lot to benefit if he is elected because not only that he is too conversant with the three core functions of a lawmaker viz lawmaking, oversight and constituency development but that he knows top civil servants who call the shots in the House making the whole job a lot easier for him.
Hon. Chidi Emeagi however informed the people that any project not captured in the appropriation edict and followed up by a legislator, no magic would make it manifest in any constituency assuring that Ikeduru would benefit immensely from his representation and moreso because of its proximity to Owerri, the state capital. Some guests at the occasion applauded the UPP candidate for being practical and factual in all his claims and submissions.
Earlier in his speech, the Cordinator of IKE IKEDURU Dr Osmond Ukanacho said the debate was essentially put together so that the electorate will have to choose the best among the candidates based on what they presented. Secretary of the association Dr Joe Chibundu and another of its chieftain and ex-Ikeduru Council Boss Chief Sam Akah had earlier promised that the group would endorse and support any candidate that came first in the debate.
Among prominent Ikeduru indigenes present at the event were current Lawmaker representing the area, Dr. Teddy Oguwuike, YDP Deputy Guber candidate Hon. Jude Opara, Chief Dennis Okwu, Mrs Cheril Amonu, Dr. Vitalis AJumbe (former Commissioner in Gov Okorocha’s administration), Engr. Okey Njoku and the Traditional Ruler of Abazu- Akabo, Eze Oliver Njoku.
Other contestants at the debate which also featured House of Reps candidates were Amb. Uche Ogbuagu-PDP, Dr. Gab Onyekuru-APGA, Barr. Alex Nwachukwu- ID and Mrs Chioma of MAJA party. The Flag-bearers of APC and Action Alliance among others did feature at the debate.
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